Chapter
Book Page numbers
Topic
Due Date Discussion
Facilitator
17 + 18
148-162
Cultural beliefs, spirits, and taboos
1/18/09
Pat Wilson
  • The god the Igbo tribe believes in is Chi.
  • The Igbo believe in Christianity.
  • Igbo believes in reincarnation.
  • The Southern Ibo use contrasting masks to represent the maiden spirit and the elephant spirit, the latter representing ugliness and aggression and the former representing beauty and peacefulness.
Spirit_mask.jpg
  • This is the Ibo spiritual mask.
  • The masks, of wood or fabric, are employed in a variety of dramas: social satires, sacred rituals
  • The Igbo use thousands of masks, which incarnate unspecified spirits of the dead
Mask_headdress.JPG
  • This is a head dress of a traditional Igbo person.



  • The Igbo are very appreciative of music, dance, and visual art.
  • They will try to find birthmarks on new born babies within the extended family.
  • Taboos helped reduce the abuse of environment among the tribe
  • The altar statues called ikengaare are sculpted from hard wood. They include a pair of horns, identified as the horns of a ram who “fights with his head."
  • Public festivals now include Christmas and Independence Day.

For more info on Igbo religion and culture, click HERE